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What are Some Online Schools K-12?

January 30, 2012 By 1 Comment

Getting a Secondary Education via Online K-12 Schools

Online K-12 schools are growing in popularity.  These schools are operated and administered by public and private organizations, including school districts.  In fact, there are online public schools K 12 students can attend.  Furthermore, in their 2007 “K-12 Online Learning, A Survey of U.S. School District Administrators” publication, the Sloan Consortium reported that as early as the 2002-2003 school year, approximately 328,000 students attending public school district classes were enrolled in one or more distance learning courses.  That was before free online schools K-12 started publicizing their offerings more frequently on television and via other media outlets.

The best online K-12 schools are accredited by organizations like the Accrediting Commission for Schools of the Western Association of Colleges and Schools and the Northwest Accreditation Commission.  Teachers affiliated with public school online K-12 programs are state certified; face-to-face instructor training is provided with some programs.  Students can also participate in extracurricular activities the schools are involved in.  Furthermore, students who excel academically can take advanced and pre-college courses at some schools.

Online K-12 Schools and Classes for Youth

A few online K-12 schools you may want to learn more about include:

  • Tennessee Virtual Academy
  • George Washington University Online High School
  • Texas Virtual Academy
  • Lawrence Virtual School
  • Academy Kansas
  • Derby Learns Online
  • Insight School of Kansas
  • Heartland Virtual Academy
  • California Virtual Academies
  • Academy California, Los Angeles
  • Insight School of California
  • San Francisco Flex Academy
  • Silicon Valley Flex Academy
  • Southern California Online Academy
  • Valley Interactive Virtual Academy
  • Elk Grove Unified School District
  • Gateway Virtual Academy
  • iLearn Online Academy
  • Oak Knoll Virtual Academy
  • Ohio Virtual Academy
  • Colorado Virtual Academy
  • Insight School of Colorado
  • Grande River Virtual Academy
  • Agora Cyber Charter School
  • Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School
  • Chicago Virtual Charter School
  • Youth Connection Charter School Virtual High School
  • The Cambridge Academy

Courses students like you can take at online or virtual K-12 schools include:

  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Social studies
  • Literary analysis and composition
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Pre-calculus and/or trigonometry
  • American literature
  • Public speaking
  • Journalism
  • Physical science
  • Earth science
  • Spanish
  • French
  • English
  • Basic mathematics
  • Business and personal relationships
  • Introduction to entrepreneurship

To succeed while attending online K-12 schools students, particularly if you’re a student who’s unfamiliar with computers and/or the Internet, consider taking a free computer training program.  You’re also encouraged to exercise your in-born talents and create original articles and school assignments.  Resources like the Britannica online school edition Pre K-12 can shorten the amount of time it takes you and other students to research school reports and papers, including essays.  Furthermore, as the popularity of training modules and coursework offered at each K through 12 online school increases, computer technicians and school administrators may find improved ways to streamline education objectives and results and improve learning using distance programs.

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Top 5 Online College Degrees

January 26, 2012 By 1 Comment

Going After One of the Top Five Online College Degrees

Each year recent high school graduates and adult continuing education students enroll in online college degree programs at accredited postsecondary schools.  Although you and other students likely enroll in one or more undergraduate or graduate degree program that align with your passions and that provide you with the greatest chance of working jobs you enjoy, you (and other college students) may find yourselves enrolling in some college courses more than others.  Top degrees and/or schools are reviewed and/or listed in national magazines and organizations such as Petersons, US News and World Report and The Princeton Review.  Some of the top five offline and/or online college degrees are in subjects that may or may not give you the job training you’re looking for.

Popular Degrees at Online Colleges and Distance Learning Schools

According to The Princeton Review, the top five college majors include:

  • Business Administration and Management/Commerce (You might consider this major if you like to lead teams or organizational groups.  Good communication skills and decision making abilities can help you to succeed in this major, and in jobs (e.g. department manager, chief executive officer) associated with a classroom and online college bachelor degree you get in the field.)
  • Psychology (Although you may or may not be able to find free online college degrees in this subject, if you enjoy figuring out what motivates people to behave and communicate the way they do, majoring in psychology might prove rewarding for you.  Types of courses you may take in this degree include early childhood development, abnormal psychology and the role of the family on individual mental and emotional health.)
  • Nursing (Combines traditional and liberal arts courses; also allows you to participate in clinical trials, giving you first-hand experience caring for patients.  You can work in a variety of medical departments after you get a nursing degree and pass your licensing exams.  For example, you can work in pediatrics, oncology or geriatrics.)
  • Biology/Biological Studies (Courses cover and/or examine plant, animal and human life.  Laboratory work may be required to earn biology or biological studies degrees.  Jobs you can work with these degrees include veterinarian, ecologist or environmentalist.)
  • Education (If you have a desire to teach others new skills, majoring in education at online colleges might be what you’re looking for.  Depending on the state you live in, you may have to pass a licensing examination before you start teaching elementary, middle, secondary or postsecondary school students.)

Depending on the year the top five online college degrees are identified by media and educational organizations, the degree fields might align with the highest paying jobs.  Of course, majoring in top five online college degrees may provide you advanced education in fields that are largely populated by other college students who are majoring in similar subjects that you are, making it important for you to get innovative when you connect with prospective hiring managers during job interviews and professional networking sessions.  Before majoring in an offline or accredited online college degree, consider taking the time to research the job outlook for the degree field using resources available to you through your college’s career counseling office or through government agencies like the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.  This way you can increase your chances of majoring in subjects, whether they are popular nationally amongst other college students or not, that offer you plenty of employment and job growth opportunities.

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Top Ten Online Colleges and Universities

January 23, 2012 By 1 Comment

Attending the Top Ten Online Colleges and Universities

Top online colleges and universities as well as public and private brick and mortar postsecondary schools offer distance learning programs in a variety of courses.  You can also complete your entire undergraduate and/or graduate degrees by attending online accredited schools.  Despite the fact that many schools offer rigorous academic courses, professors having licenses and/or in-depth working experiences in the subjects they teach, only a few schools earn the status of being top colleges and universities.

U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review are some periodicals that list top US colleges and universities.  School information reviewed by these periodicals includes:

  • Student enrollment (breakdown by male and female student populations)
  • Undergraduate and/or graduate programs available for students to register for and take
  • Costs of tuition
  • Percentage of college admissions applications accepted by the school
  • Financial aid offered and/or accepted by the school
  • Amount of endowments associated with the school
  • Academic calendar (e.g. semester, quarter) the school operates on
  • Number of years the school has been in operation (founded date for the school)
  • Minimum college entrance examination test scores (e.g. SAT, ACT) accepted by the school
  • Student survey responses (feedback that students provide about the school)
  • Administrative services offered at the school

Ranking of Top 10 Largest Online Schools

When it comes to online postsecondary schools, academics and student services can help determine how valuable the school’s offerings are.  Some popular online schools also enroll large numbers of students.  According to U.S. News and World Report, the top 10 largest online colleges and universities are:

  • University of Phoenix (founded in 1976 with approximately 380,232 students)
  • Kaplan University (founded in 1937 with approximately 70,011 students
  • Strayer University (founded in 1982 with approximately 54,325 students)
  • Ashford University (founded in 1918 with approximately 46,835 students)
  • Liberty University (founded in 1971 with approximately 46,312 students)
  • Walden University (founded in 1970 with approximately 40,714 students)
  • University of Maryland – University College (founded in 1947 with approximately 37,347 students)
  • Grand Canyon University (founded in 1949 with approximately 34,205 students)
  • Capella University (founded in 1993 with approximately 31,998 students)

Top Black colleges and universities such as Spelman College, Morehouse College, Hampton University, Tuskegee University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Fisk University and Claflin University are also ranked in publications like U.S. News and World Report.  Keep in mind that some of these schools, including the top 100 colleges and universities, also offer on-campus, classroom courses which might help to increase their overall student enrollment population.  Furthermore, top schools are generally accredited institutions of higher learning, a factor that may further help to establish the schools’ credibility.

Publications and organizations that review top colleges universities do the hard work of examining factors such as the schools tuition costs, student activities and course offerings so you don’t have to.  If you use these resources to review the best schools you can narrow the numbers of schools you want to enroll in after you graduate from high school or while you juggle work and your continuing education goals.

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Top 20 List of Online Schools Based on Enrollment

January 19, 2012 By 2 Comments

Earn College Credits at Popular Online Schools

By using a list of colleges and universities you can review several schools offering online courses and degree programs in a short amount of time.  Some of the lists are affiliated with major publications like U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review, while other lists are created by organizations that support continuing education and academic achievement.

In addition to U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review, the United States Department of Education also list accredited schools offering online programs in their database which you can access free of charge.  Organizations and/or publications like College Board, Peterson’s, Online Education Database and Washington Monthly provide list of colleges and universities in Florida, list of colleges and universities in Georgia and other parts of the country.

Details provided in the lists include:

  • Numbers of undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the schools
  • Dates that the schools were founded
  • Types of distance learning programs available at the schools (e.g. degree, certificate)
  • Location type for the schools (e.g. urban, rural)
  • Majors (e.g. engineering, nursing, law) the schools are known and/or highly regarded for
  • Tuition costs
  • Whether or not the schools accept financial aid, and if they do, the types of financial aid accepted at the schools
  • Religious affiliations the schools have, if they have any religious affiliations
  • Minimum college entrance test scores accepted at the schools
  • Whether or not the schools offer athletic programs that are recognized by organizations like the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and if so, the types of programs (e.g. football, basketball, track and field) offered

Large Online Schools You Can Enroll In

The top online colleges and universities based on student enrollment as reported by U.S. News and World Report are:

  • University of Phoenix (380,232 students)
  • Kaplan University (70,011 students)
  • Strayer University (54,325 students)
  • Ashford University (46,835 students)
  • Liberty University (46,312 students)
  • Walden University (40,714 students)
  • University of Maryland-University College (37,347 students)
  • Grand Canyon University (34,205 students)
  • Capella University (31,998 students)
  • American Public University System (31,331 students)

Another organization providing a list of colleges and universities in New York, a list of colleges and universities in Virginia and other states, schools with large student enrollments, is the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).  The NCES reports additional schools with student populations that provide distance learning programs include:

  • Arizona State University (68,040 students)
  • Miami Dade College (59,120 students)
  • Ohio State University (55,014 students)
  • Houston Community College (54,942 students)
  • University of Central Florida (53,401 students)
  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (51,659 students)
  • University of Texas at Austin (50,995 students)
  • University of Florida (50,691 students)
  • Texas A&M University (48,702 students)
  • Michigan State University (47,071 students)

Trying to find the online school that’s right for you may feel like a daunting task until you familiarize yourself with a list of colleges and universities providing you with specific details about each school mentioned in the list.  Rather than visiting colleges and universities in person or telephoning administrators at several online schools, consider taking the time to review the lists so you can find out schools offering the best tuition rates, student activities and distance learning credit and/or degree programs in subjects you’re most interested in majoring in.

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Top 5 Online Christian Colleges and Universities

January 16, 2012 By 2 Comments

Online Colleges and Universities for Christian Students

Publications and organizations like U.S. News and World Report include Christian colleges and universities in their rankings reports.  These and other religious schools offer distance learning programs for continuing education students.  Having local, regional and/or national accreditations, the top online religious schools are not only located in various parts of the United States, they also make it possible for you to get degrees regardless of where you live.

Christian colleges and universities that ranked high in the 2011 U.S. News and World Report college rankings report were Pepperdine University, a private university that has a student enrollment of approximately 3,439.  Located in Malibu, California and founded in 1937, this school that is amongst the top Christian colleges and universities in California is affiliated with the Church of Christ.  Online programs at the school are administered through the Graduate School of Education and Psychology.

One of New York City’s top Christian colleges and universities is Fordham University.  Enrolling about 7,950 students, Fordham is a private university.  Founded in 1841, the school that’s affiliated with the Roman Catholic religion is known for its strong law program. Video and Internet are two major tools the school uses to teach students enrolled in its distance learning programs.

More Top Christian Colleges and Universities

Included in the list of top Texas Christian colleges and universities is Southern Methodist University.  Affiliated with the United Methodist religion, the school operates on a semester calendar and enrolls about 6,228 students.  Founded in 1911, Southern Methodist University is a private school located in Dallas, Texas.  It’s known for its graduate level law and business academic programs.  Online courses are taught using tools like DVDs and online streaming.  Although it’s not ranked higher than the below schools, another school listed amongst the top Christian colleges and university in Texas is Texas Christian University, a public postsecondary school located in Fort Worth, Texas.  Founded in 1873, the school is the largest religious university affiliated with the Disciples of Christ Christian Church.  Operating on a semester calendar system, Texas Christian University enrolls approximately 7,640 students.  The school’s personal and development online courses are offered through its Education To Go program.

Affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints and founded in 1875, Brigham Young University is a private school that enrolls approximately 30,745 students.  The school is located in Provo, Utah.  Distance learning courses are offered through the school’s Independent Learning program.  Popular majors at the school include biological and biomedical studies, business management and social sciences.

Marquette University is affiliated with the Roman Catholic (Jesuit) religion.  About 8,081 students attend the private school that was founded in 1881.  This university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin operates on a semester basis; popular majors at the school include communication, business management and engineering.  Up to 28 credit-granting online courses are available at the university.

Additional Christian colleges and universities offering distance learning programs are listed with organizations like the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.  The organization has a membership of approximately 110 schools in America and an additional 73 affiliate schools in 24 countries.  You can search on schools listed with the Council by name or religious foundation.

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Tips for Earning Your GED Online

January 12, 2012 By 2 Comments

Go Online to Make Earning Your General Equivalency Diploma (GED)
Easier

Years ago General Equivalency Diploma (GED), also referred to as a General Education Diploma (GED) courses were taught at high schools, some of them aged and closed for services to traditional students; others were taught and tested at learning centers.  Getting a GED felt like cramming for a final examination for several weeks for some students back then.  Today, regardless of how old you are, you can get your GED online from the comforts of your home.  Quality educational organizations that administer the programs develop in-depth coursework for their paid or free GED online classes.

Depending on the school you enroll in to complete your GED online, you might be required to be at least 16 years old to get accepted into the school.  The reason you didn’t finish your diploma coursework at a traditional school may not be of importance to school officials.  If you’re a fast learner, you can complete your GED requirements in less than a month.  Otherwise, it can take you up to six weeks to finish the requirements.

After you enroll in an online GED training program consider:

  • Asking school enrollment counselors for a GED study kit you can refer to as you complete course materials and study for upcoming tests
  • You might be required to score 70 percent or higher on each test to move on in the course
  • Enrolling in schools that offer you a lifetime verification (this way if college or university administrators want to confirm that you got an official GED, they can call a certain number at the school and get your GED verified)
  • Purchasing flash cards, calculators and other learning tools that will aid you in your studies
  • Reading through GED preparation books so you know what to expect on the tests
  • Taking GED practice tests before you schedule your actual tests
  • Checking out schools to make sure they are accredited by reputable agencies (you can always contact the accrediting agency and ask them to confirm whether or not the school is, in fact, accredited by them)

Types of Questions Covered on GED Tests

According to the American Council on Education, types of subjects covered on GED tests include:

  • Language arts
  • Social studies
  • Science
  • Mathematics

Multiple choice and essay questions are parts of the language arts test sections.  You’ll have to be familiar with sentence structure, grammar, capitalization, etc. to pass this part of the tests.  Social studies covers geography, history, civics and government and economics.  The science part of the tests covers physical and life science as well as earth and space science.  You can use a calculator on Part I of the mathematics portion of the tests, but not on Part II.

After you get your GED online for free or by paying to enroll in other secondary programs, you can apply for acceptance to postsecondary schools so you can get occupational licenses (e.g. nursing, cosmetology) and/or complete undergraduate degrees.  If you left high school early to serve in the military you might be able to get a GED online for free using military tuition assistance programs.  Additionally, after you get your GED online and start completing college and university courses employers may focus on your postsecondary education more than on whether or not you earned your high school diploma by traditional or non-traditional methods.  Keep in mind that growing popularity of online high school programs may continue to remove the stigma of distance learning programs from the minds of students, parents, educators and employers.

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Tips for Choosing Online College Courses

January 9, 2012 By 2 Comments

Finding Online College Courses That are Right for You

When you enroll in an online college course you can give yourself schedule flexibility, more control of your degree course load and a greater sense of balance in your life.  To get the most out of accredited online college courses there are a few points you may want to consider, including future relevancy of the labor industries and jobs the courses prepare you to work in.

According to the Sloan Consortium, “approximately 5.6 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2009.”  More than 2,500 colleges and universities were surveyed as part of the report.  At first glance, it might appear solely like a good personal time fit to take for-cost or free online college courses; after all some of the courses are self-paced.  However, academic pursuits that lead to new employment, promotions, increased job responsibilities and/or promotions (as well as academic courses that prepare you to succeed as a business owner) can make going to college more than academically rewarding, these pursuits can also make going back to school financially and economically rewarding.

Points to Consider Before Enrolling in Online College Courses

To get the most out of distance learning, as you’re choosing for-costs or free online college courses for the coming school session, ask yourself a few questions such as:

  • Is the course in a subject (e.g. nutrition, computer science, creative writing) that I’m passionate about?
  • Will taking this college course help me to gain a required skill to get promoted to the next level at work?
  • What average hourly wage or annual salary do professionals already working at jobs related to this college course make?
  • Is the subject of the online college course (e.g. mathematics, biology, political science, journalism, nursing) a field employers are hiring workers for in the area where I live?
  • Are prerequisites required before enrolling in this college course, and if so, have I already completed those prerequisites?
  • What type of software is required to enroll in and complete the course?
  • How much reading and essay writing is required to graduate from the course?  If you love to write, this may be a no brainer.  However, if writing is not your strong suit (or something you enjoy doing) you might think about getting a mentor or a tutor to help you get through the course with top grades.
  • Is this a course I can receive tuition reimbursement for through my employer?

In addition to taking distance learning courses as a freshman, sophomore, etc., if you’re still attending a secondary school, you can also enroll in online college courses for high school students.  These courses can help you to familiarize yourself with distance learning programs.  Depending on the school you attend, you may also be able to earn college credits when you take the courses, accelerating your learning.

Technology and the numbers of students enrolled in online college courses can help to make distance learning a viable option for you.  Before registering to take online courses check the school’s accreditations, keeping in mind that schools that are accredited by organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education are generally reputable institutions of higher learning.

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Take Translation Courses Online

January 5, 2012 By 1 Comment

Translation Courses Online Can Help You Become a True Global
Citizen

Taking an online translation course is a way to expand your job skills and everyday use of foreign languages.  Through these courses you can learn how to interpret and translate a variety of documents and/or conversations including government reports, non-fiction books, novels, college course materials and business records.  The courses are offered through accredited colleges and universities.  You can also take tuition based and/or free online translation courses offered by professional translators.

If you major in foreign languages, you can take one or more translation courses.  Depending on the online college you attend you might be able to take a course in foreign languages like Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Hebrew, Italian, French and/or German.  By taking one or more foreign languages, you can gain a basic foundation that may prepare you to excel at online translation courses.  Because  you can complete the courses from anywhere in the world, not only can you complete your studies, you can also travel abroad and put what you learn in the distance learning programs into real life practice as you communicate with people from other countries and translate what they say to people less familiar with the languages.

To start, types of online translations courses you can register to take include:

  • Arabic to English translation of governmental and international documents
  • English to French legal translation
  • The Making of a Literary Translator
  • Introduction for English to French translation
  • Project management for translation
  • The Literary Translator and the Internet
  • Translation and Interpretation
  • English to Portuguese translation
  • English to Portuguese translating for international organizations
  • English to German translating for international organizations
  • English to Spanish translating for international organizations
  • Portuguese to English translation
  • German to English translation
  • Spanish to English translation

Using Online Translation Courses to Secure Employment

Generally, more popular languages are offered at accredited online college and university distance learning programs.  Some free online translation courses use basic short stories to teach you how to translate information from one language to another.  Again, a basic understanding of the language the material is written or spoken in (and the language you’re translating the material into) helps you to get a firm understanding of lessons.  You can also find reading guides at organizations like the American Literary Translators Association that provide you with additional understanding of what’s involved in creative types of translation work.

The United Nations, United States embassy offices, hospitals, attorneys representing clients from foreign countries, military and international tourists attractions are a few types of employers you can get hired by after you learn foreign languages and graduate from accredited online translations courses.  While you complete your online translation course, and after you finish the course, you can receive support from organizations like the American Translators Association and the American Literary Translations Association.  You can also get certified through these organizations, learn about conferences and seminars for professionals in the industry and search for jobs.  Local translators associations also provide training and networking events that you can take advantage of.

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Take Piano Courses Online

January 2, 2012 By 4 Comments

Learn How to Play the Piano Online

You can take an online piano course through distance learning schools and private instructors.  Some of the best online piano course material may combine video and audio lessons with print material like musical notes that you can read as you practice playing the piano.  To increase your learning and artistic breadth, you can also combine online courses with focused and individualized classroom courses at schools like the Berklee College or Music, Indiana University or Northwestern College Music Academy.

Some schools and academies that teach online piano courses offer training in different music genres.  For example, you can take online courses such as:

  • Simple Latin Piano
  • Intermediate Latin Piano
  • Advanced Latin Piano
  • Dorian and Mixolydian Modes
  • Methods to Improve Your Piano Playing Skills
  • New Jazz
  • Broadway Stage Productions Using Piano
  • Advanced Chord Scales

In addition to taking hands-on courses, you may also be required to read written material to pass or graduate from online piano courses.  The type of piano reading material you may read includes:

  • History of the Piano
  • Theory Fun
  • Contemporary Class Piano
  • Group Piano for Adults
  • Music Theory and Harmony
  • Sight Reading at the Piano
  • Piano Performance and Pedagogy
  • Piano Scales

Piano Lessons for Online Students

Courses are offered at basic or beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.  You may need to have a basic understanding of musical notes, including how to read music, before you take some online piano courses.  Fortunately, you can listen to instructors or musicians play the notes before and as you practice playing the piano to enhance your learning.  Consider renting a piano from a local music store if you don’t already have one so you can complete the courses.  You can also try using an electronic keyboard to learn hand placement and how to read and play notes and chords.

Should you want to combine your online learning with individualized classroom training, you may be required to audition to get admitted to accredited offline schools like the Berklee College of Music.  Through these types of programs you can meet visiting artists who are established in the field.  You can also work in ensembles and/or solo, giving you the chance to expand your piano playing skills.

Piano is one of the creative arts that you can take up whether you plan to earn a living working with music or not.  Taking a tuition based or a free online piano course is a way to extend your learning; enrolling in an online piano course can also shorten the time it takes you to go from an inexperienced pianist to someone who can read music and/or play basic to moderate songs.  Become skilled at playing the piano, reading music online and working with virtual education programs, and you also might be able to teach your own piano courses online someday.  Until then, if you take a course from a private instructor, you’re encouraged to familiarize yourself with the instructor’s bio and working experience.  After all, and as with other college courses, the more knowledgeable and skilled the instructor is, the more she or he may be able to teach you.

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